The rediscovered holotype of Palaeopython sardus Portis, 1901 from the Miocene of Sardinia belongs to a fish, not to a snake

Delfino, M;ZOBOLI, DANIEL;CARNEVALE, DAVIDE;PILLOLA, GIAN LUIGI

2014-01-01

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Abstract

Erected on the basis of an incomplete skull bone, Palaeopython sardus Portis, 1901 is the only specimen referred to this species. The holotype, from the Middle Miocene of Monte Albu (Sardinia) and identified as the palatine-pterygoid of a snake, was never revised as the specimen had not been traced by the various authors who had discussed the validity of this taxon. The holotype was recently found by the authors in the collections of the Museo Sardo di Geologia e Paleontologia “Domenico Lovisato” (Cagliari, Italy) where it is now housed under accession number MDLCA 14402. The preservational status of MDLCA 14402 does not differ from the description and figures by Portis but according to our revision, it is actually the premaxilla of an undetermined acanthomorph fish. The name Palaeopython sardus Portis, 1901 is here considered as a nomen dubium since the holotype is incomplete and on the basis of the preserved features it is not possible to diagnose a fish taxon or to refer the specimen to an extant or extinct species. The booid snakes of Italy are therefore represented only by erycine snakes that so far have been described in localities with an age ranging from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene.